Charlie is almost a year old now and he has been sleeping in his crate every single night since we've had him. His crate is in the basement in our laundry area. When I put him in the crate for the night, I turn the light off and only leave a kid night light so it's not totally dark.

It breaks my heart in a milion pieces every time I put him in his crate for the night because I know he hates it. He doesn't make a sound or cry when he's in the crate but I know he hates it. Except night time, you will NEVER see him go in his crate or relax in it. I try to leave treats in the crate for him to make it more fun for him. He goes in, eats them, come back out.

I would love to be able to leave him in the house at night but he is so attached to me that he would just stay in our bed between us and there is absolutely no way my fiancÚ would let him. If I close the door, he will cry and scratch until he makes a whole in it to get in the room. A lot of people say it's a cocker spaniel thing to always be near their human but sometimes I wish Charlie was a little more independant. If I leave the house for an hour, he will stay in the window watching for me to come back for the full hour.

I know a lot of people have an ''open door'' crate policy where their pets only go in if they want to but it doesn't seem like this would work here. I would like to get your opinions on what I should/could do. Should I continue the way we are now? Or should I do something different?

If Charlie is used to sleeping in his crate, could you not put the crate in your room next to your bed and then leave the door open? He may be content to sleep in the crate while in the same room as you. It would be best if he were not allowed on any furniture at all while you do this exercise so that he doesn't feel he should be on the bed with you. At night time, call him in with you and tuck him into his crate with a treat and tell him to stay. Keep it close so that you could dangle your hand there so he can sniff it and relax. Try putting one of your worn tshirts in with him so it smells comforting like you. My dogs used to sleep on my bed, but my husband will have none of that, so now they both have a bed in the bedroom (one on either side) and happily go to their pillows at night. Neither one of them would think of getting up on the bed anymore. Honestly if Charlie's crate is in the basement laundry room why would he want to go into it??? He needs to be where his family is. If you want him to use the crate regularly, put it in the family room where he can see you and still be part of the group and you may well find that he's happy enough to go and lay it in while the family is watching TV or something.

Charlie is almost a year old now and he has been sleeping in his crate every single night since we've had him. His crate is in the basement in our laundry area. When I put him in the crate for the night, I turn the light off and only leave a kid night light so it's not totally dark.

It breaks my heart in a milion pieces every time I put him in his crate for the night because I know he hates it. He doesn't make a sound or cry when he's in the crate but I know he hates it. Except night time, you will NEVER see him go in his crate or relax in it. I try to leave treats in the crate for him to make it more fun for him. He goes in, eats them, come back out.

I would love to be able to leave him in the house at night but he is so attached to me that he would just stay in our bed between us and there is absolutely no way my fiancÚ would let him. If I close the door, he will cry and scratch until he makes a whole in it to get in the room. A lot of people say it's a cocker spaniel thing to always be near their human but sometimes I wish Charlie was a little more independant. If I leave the house for an hour, he will stay in the window watching for me to come back for the full hour.

I know a lot of people have an ''open door'' crate policy where their pets only go in if they want to but it doesn't seem like this would work here. I would like to get your opinions on what I should/could do. Should I continue the way we are now? Or should I do something different?

I think Dog Dancer had an excellent idea... put Charlie's crate beside your bed. He probably doesn't look forward to going in it as it's so far away from you!

Would he be inclined to sleep on a doggie bed in the room with you? I used to let all 3 of my pups sleep on my bed until I started not sleeping so well cause I couldn't move most of the night I bought a huge, round doggie bed and my biggest pup happily sleeps on it every night, if she does try to get up on the bed I tell her a firm "No". She rarely tries to get up on the bed now.

Do you feed Charlie in it? That may also help him to like it more... but I truly believe he doesn't like it since it's so far from you.

I don't have an open door policy for crates in my home... but I have four dogs four dogs + four crates + four doors open to crates = fight waiting to happen, since all my dogs consider their own crate their own space, just for them.

"Many of the Earth's habitats, animals, plants, insects, and even micro-organisms that we know as rare may not be known at all by future generations. We have the capability, and the responsibility. We must act before it is too late." - Dalai Lama

Mollie goes in her crate during the day but it's smack dab right in the livingroom where she can see everyone.

Furthermore, I placed an old dark sheet over the crate to give her "her space" but she's always welcoming Gryphon to join in for cuddles. Centralizing the crate would be a good thing.

As far as bed time. Both our dogs have their own dog beds. It took some training and plenty of "no" commands with Mollie. She had many attempts to jump up on the bed but she has learned that her spot in the bedroom is on her dog pillow.

All in all, it took us a good two months to educate both Gryphon and Mollie during their younger years that they had comfy beds right next to mom and dad.

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We have crates set up both upstairs and downstairs but our dogs will only go willingly into them if I'm nearby. We don't shut the doors anymore. Will your fiance agree to having the crate in your room? Or perhaps just outside the bedroom door? If we can't fit ours + fosters in our room, then we have crates just outside of it so that they're near their "pack" where they're most comfortable and safe. You can eventually remove the crate and just leave Charlie's bed in it's place.

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"Education is a progressive discovery of our own ignorance." -Will Durant

Absolutely, move Charlie's crate. Lady's (2-1/2 year old Cocker) crate is at the foot of our bed. Even though she cuddles on the bed with G-Man and me, when I say "bed time", she hops off and goes straight into her crate. Lady's crate is big enough for her to do a full stretch in it (front and back legs extended). Charlie will feel a lot more comfortable if his crate is closer to you.

Remember that Charlie is entering his "teen-age" rebellion period and any routines you establish now and over the next year or so will be the ones you have to live with for the rest of Charlie's life. He will test your boundaries and I know from personal experience (twice over!) how hard it is to face those big, sad-looking eyes and droopy ears and jowls. Your hard work and consistent dedication now will be rewarded in the future with a happy, confident and well adjusted dog.

Absolutely, move Charlie's crate. Lady's (2-1/2 year old Cocker) crate is at the foot of our bed. Even though she cuddles on the bed with G-Man and me, when I say "bed time", she hops off and goes straight into her crate. Lady's crate is big enough for her to do a full stretch in it (front and back legs extended). Charlie will feel a lot more comfortable if his crate is closer to you.

Remember that Charlie is entering his "teen-age" rebellion period and any routines you establish now and over the next year or so will be the ones you have to live with for the rest of Charlie's life. He will test your boundaries and I know from personal experience (twice over!) how hard it is to face those big, sad-looking eyes and droopy ears and jowls. Your hard work and consistent dedication now will be rewarded in the future with a happy, confident and well adjusted dog.

FLoppy Dog: this is exactly what has been going on in our house lately. It has been VERY warm and humid around here. One night I decided to try sleeping on the basement couch and let Charlie sleep there with me. I was ready for the worse but he was soooo good He slept on the floor next to the couch almost all night. Then he moved to our papasan wicker chair. When I woke up in the morning, he was standing next to the couch and was staring at me with ''those eyes'' but I could tell a big difference with when he sleeps in the kennel. He was much more calm and relax. Maybe the kennel is stressing him out because he can't see us.

Then yesterday we HAD TO buy an air conditioner for our bedroom. Since our room was much more comfortable than the rest of the house, I convinced my fiancÚ to let Charlie in the room with us and see how he would do. Charlie did awesome He did try to lay on the bed with us but we put him on the floor and told him ''no'' and he slept on the floor all night, we almost didn't hear anything from him (he snores ). I think I will try the kennel in our bedroom tonight.

Keep at it, LC. Lady is now at the point where she will voluntarily go into her kennel when she sees that G-Man and I are getting ready for bed, settle down and wait for me to give her her bed time treats and shut the door. Charlie will get there too, as long as you are consistent.

Awww,he is a sweetheart
I would say keeping him in his crate in the basement away from you,is a bordering on cruel.
Also,teaching him not to come up on the bed,should not be that difficult,I think he would be perfectly happy on his own bed in your bed-room,as long as he can see you.
Cockers are so very needy,putting him alone in the basement must be like punishment to him.
Good Luck

I love cockers. I had one growing up at home and Korkie would sleep in my room in his crate, door open. He just felt better there. He would also go there when he just wanted to get away from it all and have some peace and quiet.